CONGO – A military court in Congo handed down death sentences Friday to 37 people, including three Americans, after convicting them on charges of taking part in a coup attempt. The defendants, who also included a Briton, Belgian, Canadian and several Congolese, can appeal the verdict on charges that included terrorism, murder and criminal association. Fourteen people were acquitted in the trial, which opened in June.

Six people were killed during the botched coup attempt led by the little-known opposition figure Christian Malanga in May that targeted the presidential palace and a close ally of President Felix Tshisekedi. Malanga was fatally shot while resisting arrest soon after live-streaming the attack on his social media, the Congolese army said.

Malanga’s 21-year-old son Marcel Malanga, who is a US citizen, and two other Americans were convicted in the the attack. His mother, Brittney Sawyer, has said her son is innocent and was simply following his father, who considered himself president of a shadow government in exile.

The other Americans were Tyler Thompson Jr., who flew to Africa from Utah with the younger Malanga for what his family believed was a vacation, and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36, who is reported to have known Christian Malanga through a gold mining company. The company was set up in Mozambique in 2022, according to an official journal published by Mozambique’s government, and a report by the Africa Intelligence newsletter.

Thompson’s family maintains he had no knowledge of the elder Malanga’s intentions, no plans for political activism and didn’t even plan to enter Congo. He and the Malangas were meant to travel only to South Africa and Eswatini, Thompson’s stepmother said. The reading out of the verdict and sentencing before the open-air military court were broadcast live on television. Last month, the military prosecutor, Lt. Col. Innocent Radjabu. called on the judges to sentence to death all of the defendants, except for one who suffers from “psychological problems.” Earlier this year, Congo reinstated the death penalty, lifting a more than two-decade-old moratorium, as authorities struggle to curb violence and militant attacks in the country. (CNN) …[+]

RUSSIA – Russia started the conflict in Ukraine and can end it straight away Sir Keir Starmer has said. It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested Moscow would regard Western missiles being fired into Russia as a serious escalation of the war. Putin told Russian state television that this would “mean nothing other than the direct participation of Nato countries  the US and European countries – in the war in Ukraine.

Sir Keir is in Washington for talks with US President Joe Biden on Friday, as allies of Kyiv discuss giving Ukraine permission to fire their missiles at targets inside Russia.

Asked for his response to the remarks on his flight to Washington, the prime minister struck a robust tone repeatedly stating that Russia had started the war.Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia can end this conflict straight away,” he said. He later added To reiterate, it was Russia who started this in the first place. They caused the conflict, they’re the ones who are acting unlawfully The prime minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy are on a blitz of international diplomacy, as Ukraine’s allies discuss how to respond to Iran stepping up its weapons support for Russia.

On Sunday, the day after the prime minister returns from Washington, he will fly to Rome to meet the Italian Prime Minister, Georgia Meloni. Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7 group of industrialised countries. A week later world leaders will gather in New York for the annual UN General Assembly. There has long been a hesitancy to allow Ukraine to fire Western missiles into Russia because of fears it could be seen as provocative and draw the US, European countries and others directly into the conflict. But with winter approaching and Russia getting extra support from Iran, minds appear to be changing. There are really important developments likely in the next few weeks and months, both in Ukraine and the Middle East, and therefore a number of tactical decisions ought to be taken,” the prime minister told reporters, without disputing the issue is on the agenda. He noted that both Blinken and Lammy had recently visited Ukraine. They’re obviously with us to report into the process on a really important joint trip. Speaking earlier in the day, Putin said: “This isn’t about allowing or banning the Kyiv regime from striking Russian territory. It does that already with drones and by other means. (BBC) …[+]